In the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, authorities have detained a 17-year-old suspected of plotting a terrorist attack at a Christmas market. On Wednesday, November 6, investigators arrested the teenager in the town of Elmshorn, following reports from Bild newspaper.
The suspect allegedly planned to drive a truck into crowds at the market, mirroring the 2016 Berlin attack in which a terrorist used a truck to kill 13 people. According to Bild, the teenager, who has Turkish roots, had been under surveillance since the spring of this year.
German investigators were tipped off by U.S. intelligence, which alerted the Federal Criminal Police Office about the potential threat. “The security authorities did an excellent job, likely preventing an attack,” said Sabine Sütterlin-Waack, Schleswig-Holstein’s Interior Minister. She emphasized the importance of staying vigilant at all times.